Rake.



C. C. STEVENS.

RAKB.

APPLIOATION FILED PEB. 9,1914.

1,133,676. Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

mlumrl WITNESSES: l VAENTOR E7 l BY m. ATTORNEY CHARLES C. STEVENS, 0F SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

BAKE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed lFebruary 9, 1914. Serial No. 817,553.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs C. STEVENS, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rakes, in which a cleaner operates in conjunction with the rake-teeth.

The objects of my improvement are, first, to suspend the cleaner from a point suiiiciently high above the center of gravity of the cleaner to allow the cleaner to swing with considerable momentum, like a pendulum, back-and-forth between the rake-teeth; second, to provide a support for the cleaner that will reduce the friction and permit the cleaner to swing freely without binding; third, to provide a cleaning device which will prove efficient, simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described and claimed and the equivalents thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved rake. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, showing the manner of suspending the cleaner. Fig. 4f is a similar view showing the opposite side of the suspending device.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the rake-head, 2 the teeth carried thereby and 3 the handle connected to the rake-head. These parts comprise the parts of the usual rake.

4, 4 designates a pair of brackets or bracebars secured to the handle 3 in any suitable manner, as with the fastening device 5. These brace-bars are each provided with a foot 6 which is suitably secured to the rakehead l, giving rigidity thereto. The feet 6, it will be observed, extend laterally to the ends of the rake-head and are then bent to project outwardly from the feet to form a supporting lug 7 a't each end of the rakehead. These lugs are each provided with a suitable opening 8.

Suspended by its ends from the lugs 'i' is a rake-tooth cleaner .comprising a head-bar 9 having the teeth 10 adaptedto swing between the rake-teeth 2 to keep them clean and free from accumulation of grass, leaves and the like. The cleaner is suspended from laterally projecting spindles ll loosely received in the openings of the lugs 7. These spindles are preferably arranged somewhat higher than the head-bar 9 of the cleaner, as shown to allow the head-bar to swing freely underneath the handle and bracebars. The spindles 8 are preferably triangular in cross-section so as to provide substantially knife-edge support, thereby reducing friction and permitting the cleaner to swing easily, like a pendulum, since the suspension or pivot point of the cleaner is considerably higher than the center of gravity of the cleaner.

By suspending the cleaner from its ends substantially as illustrated, any ordinary degree of bending or warping of the cleaner will not cause it to bind at the supporting bearings, as would be the case if the headbar 9 were pivoted at some point intermediate its ends.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a rake of the class described, the combination with a rake-head and handle connected thereto, of a rake-tooth cleaner pivotally suspended, at its ends only, and adapted to swing freely from said rakehead, said cleaner comprising a horizontally-disposed head-bar having downwardlyextending teeth thereon, the points of suspension of said cleaner being above the head-bar.

2. In combination with a rake-head and handle connected thereto, a pair of bracemembers secured at one end to said handle and at their opposite ends to said rake-head. a supporting lug formed with an opening and projecting from each of said brace-members adjacent the ends of the rake-head and substantially at right-angles thereto, and a rake-tooth cleaner hingedly supported, at its ends onlv, upon said lugs.

3. In a rake, the combination of a rakehead having a pair of projecting lugs arranged at the ends thereof, a rake-tooth cleaner comprising a horizontally-disposed head-bar formed with downwardly-extending teeth and having laterally projecting spindles arranged above said head-bar, said spindles loosely received in said lugs for hingedly suspending said cleaner from the ends of the rake-head, to permit free oscilreceived in the openings of said lugs, the,

teeth of said cleaner adapted to project between the teeth of the rake-head.

5. A rake-cleaner comprising a horizontally disposed head-bar provided with down- Wardly extending teeth and having laterally projected V-sliaped spindles arranged head-bar extending across said rake-head` from side to side formed with teeth and having laterally projecting V-shaped spindles, said spindles loosely received in said lugs for hingedly suspending said cleaner from Y the ends of the rake-head.

In testimony whereof, aiiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES c. sTEvENs.

Witnesses ROY WALLIS, NELLIE M. ANGUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

